DIGEST

State biennial budget. Appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes. Specifies higher education capital projects authorized to be constructed using bonds. Establishes a historic preservation grant program and provides that the income tax credit for historic preservation does not apply to expenditures made after June 30, 2016. Specifies that the budget report must include a list of tax expenditure items. Specifies that for financial reporting purposes, the state's combined general fund reserves include the balances of the general fund, the Medicaid contingency and reserveState biennial budget. Appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes. Specifies higher education capital projects authorized to be constructed using bonds. Establishes a historic preservation grant program and provides that the income tax credit for historic preservation does not apply to expenditures made after June 30, 2016. Specifies that the budget report must include a list of tax expenditure items. Specifies that for financial reporting purposes, the state's combined general fund reserves include the balances of the general fund, the Medicaid contingency and reserveaccount, the state tuition reserve account, and the counter-cyclical revenue and economic stabilization fund (less any outstanding loans). Changes the name of the state tuition reserve fund to an account within the state general fund. Prohibits the budget agency from enforcing a policy or procedure against certain agencies and officials by refusing to allot money from the personal services/fringe benefits contingency fund to the official or agency. Establishes the securities rating settlement fund for the purpose of depositing and distributing money received under a multistate agreement related to litigation concerning securities rating agencies. Specifies that money received by the state under such an agreement shall be distributed by the auditor of state as follows: (1) 67.67% shall be transferred to the state general fund. (2) 16.165% shall be transferred to the securities division enforcement account. (3) 16.165% shall be transferred to the homeowner protection unit account. Prohibits the budget agency from withholding appropriations for a state educational institution without review by the budget committee. Establishes the state bicentennial capital account to provide funds for capital projects that commemorate the bicentennial of Indiana's statehood. Provides that the budget agency shall administer the account. Provides that money generated from the lease of communications systems infrastructure (including under a public-private partnership) shall be transferred to the account to be used for capital projects that commemorate the bicentennial of Indiana's statehood. Establishes the office of state based initiatives. Increases the fee for taxing units for state board of accounts audits from $45 per day to $175 per day. Specifies that the fee for state colleges and universities is the direct and indirect cost of an examination (now $83 per hour). Permits a state college or university to have its examination performed by an independent certified public accounting firm. Provides that fees collected for audits are to be deposited in the state board of accounts trust and agency fund. Makes the fund a dedicated fund that can be used to cover expenses of doing audits. Removes the existing June 30, 2017, retirement deadline for a participant in the retirement medical benefits account to receive additional contributions made to the participant's account. Provides that a participant in the retirement medical benefits account who retires after July 1, 2017, is entitled to receive an additional contribution when the participant retires, if the participant is eligible to receive a normal, unreduced retirement benefit from the public employee retirement fund of which the participant is a member on or before July 1, 2017. Provides that the additional contribution is computed using the participant's years of service as determined on July 1, 2017. Provides that in the case of such a participant who on June 30, 2017, is eligible for an additional contribution, no further annual contributions shall be made to the participant's account after June 30, 2017. Establishes the partnership council and the partnership council fund for purposes of promoting tourism. Provides that certain distributions from racino licensees that are used by the state fair commission to make grants to county fairs may also be used to make grants to departments of parks and recreation. Requires matching funds. Provides that after holding a public hearing to review the budget, tax levies, assessed value, debt service requirements, and other financial information for the Gary Community School Corporation, the distressed unit appeal board may, with the consent of the school board, select a financial specialist to take financial control of the Gary Community School Corporation. Provides that 50% of the tangible property owned by certain for-profit hospitals that would otherwise be subject to property taxation is exempt from property taxation if that property is used in the operation of the hospital. Provides that the aggregate amount of EDGE tax credits that may be awarded by the Indiana economic development corporation for projects to create jobs may not exceed $100,000,000 in a state fiscal year. Provides that one cent per gallon of the beer excise tax that is currently being distributed to the postwar construction fund (from the total of four and three-fourths cents currently being distributed for this purpose) shall instead be deposited in the enforcement and administration fund. Permits the budget agency, after review by the budget committee, to make transfers from the state general fund to the major moves trust fund each year of the biennium, and if such a transfer is made, allows the budget agency, after review by the budget committee, to make a transfer from the trust fund to the major moves construction fund. Provides for changes to the twenty-first century research and technology fund approval process. Permits a public-private agreement to be used for Potato Creek State Park, Larue Carter Hospital, and state owned cell towers. Establishes the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 and specifies funding for the plan. Establishes: (1) the incremental hospital fee fund; and (2) the phase out trust fund; and specifies uses and distributions of money within the funds. Places a cap on the number of adult learners that are to be funded in each state fiscal year. Provides for the determination of state funding of public schools for state fiscal year 2015-2016 and state fiscal year 2016-2017. Urges the legislative council to assign to the appropriate study committee the topic of studying a charter school grant program. Removes the choice scholarship cap of $4,800 for students in grades 1 through 8. Allows school capital projects funds to continue to be used for utilities and insurance until July 1, 2017. Urges the assignment to a study committee of topics concerning school capital projects funds. Requires the state school bus committee to adopt rules that allow for the display of paid advertisements on school buses operated by or on behalf of school corporations. Extends the school performance grant program through the 2016-2017 school year, and makes changes in the calculation and use of the grant for stipends to teachers. Permits teachers to receive a supplemental amount for completion of certain master's degrees. Provides that a school corporation must consider certain factors in developing a performance evaluation model. Repeals the statutes establishing the education roundtable and makes conforming amendments. Provides that the commission for higher education shall carry out certain duties currently performed by the education roundtable. Increases various filing fees charged by the secretary of state after June 30, 2016, for filing paper documents under the Indiana business corporation law, the Indiana Uniform Partnership Act, the limited partnership statute, the Indiana nonprofit corporation act, and the Indiana business flexibility act (limited liability companies). Extends the leave conversion program for employees of the legislative and judicial departments through June 30, 2017. Provides that payment of federal participating funds for an airport improvement project authorized under certain federal programs shall be made to the municipality. Requires the commission for higher education to review the programs offered by Ivy Tech Community College that have low graduation rates, and authorizes the commission to require the restructuring of such a program or to eliminate the program. Provides for the development of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne as a multisystem metropolitan university and requires Purdue University and Indiana University to make findings and recommendations concerning the role and governance of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. Specifies that the topic for program evaluation by the legislative services agency in 2015 is governance of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and potential models for governance of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne after June 30, 2016. Specifies that an agency or other governmental entity shall provide to the legislative services agency information to carry out any of the bill drafting, research, code revision, fiscal analysis, budgetary analysis, management analysis, agency or program evaluation, information services, administrative services, or other services provided by the legislative services agency to the general assembly. Requires the commission for higher education to annually determine the percentages of students at each state educational institution that are charged tuition based on: (1) resident tuition rates; and (2) nonresident tuition rates. Requires the commission to report the information to the budget committee and legislative council before December 1 of each year. Provides that Indiana State University may not lease or transfer any ownership interest in the Hulman Center unless the proposed lease or transfer of an ownership interest has been reviewed by the budget committee. Provides that a problem solving court that is a veteran's court may assume jurisdiction over a veteran who: (1) meets certain eligibility requirements; and (2) is referred to the problem solving court by a court in another jurisdiction. Specifies that a court may consider as a mitigating factor that a person convicted of a crime has posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or a postconcussive brain injury. Provides that if a court suspends a sentence and orders probation for such a person, the court may require the person to receive treatment for the person's injuries. Provides that the document storage fee is $5 after June 30, 2015, and before July 1, 2017, and $2 after June 30, 2017. Provides that after June 30, 2015, and before July 1, 2017, the automated record keeping fee collected for all civil, criminal, infraction, and ordinance violation actions is $19. Provides that the automated record keeping fee is $5 after June 30, 2017. Establishes a grant program for school corporations that merge their administrative functions or merge their governing bodies. Creates a program to provide state matching grants to the northwest Indiana regional development authority (RDA) for projects extending the Chicago, South Shore, and South Bend Railway (Railway). Requires the RDA to make certain commitments in order to receive a grant. Requires a return on investment analysis. Requires review of grant applications by the budget committee and approval by the budget agency. Establishes the northwest Indiana regional development authority commuter rail construction fund (fund). Provides that a redevelopment commission of a municipality may provide revenue to a public transportation corporation or a public school corporation (for its transportation fund) from property tax proceeds allocated to the redevelopment commission in a tax increment financing area. Requires the office of Medicaid policy and planning to conduct a review of rates payable under the current Medicaid fee structure and provide recommended rates for the Medicaid fee structure to the budget committee and legislative council before December 1, 2015. Provides that the auditor of state shall on July 15, 2015, transfer to the state general fund all but $5,000,000 of the combined balances in the political subdivision risk management fund and the political subdivision catastrophic liability fund. Requires the commissioner of the department of insurance to report to the budget committee in 2016 regarding any outstanding liabilities of those funds. Requires the Indiana judicial center to review the workload and backlog of cases in the Indiana tax court and the Indiana board of tax review and report to the legislative council. Requires the commission for higher education to review the tuition increases (if any) at each state educational institution for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years and submit a report to the budget committee and the legislative council. Provides that the auditor of state shall on July 15, 2015, transfer to the state general fund all but $5,000,000 of the combined balances in the political subdivision risk management fund and the political subdivision catastrophic liability fund. Requires the commissioner of the department of insurance to report to the budget committee in 2016 regarding any outstanding liabilities of those funds. Provides for a thirteenth check in 2015 for specified members of certain public pension funds. Changes the date of SEA 415-2015, SECTION 28, from July 1, 2015, to upon passage.... View more